Can opener



April 20, 1926. 1,581,958

T. A. KILLMAN CAN OPENER Filed July 1925 2 Sheng-sheet 1 April 2o 1926. n 1,581,958

` T.A.mLLMAN CAN oPENER- Fild Jly 2,.1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Strawn,

h vente@ Patented Apr. 20, ,1.926,

useless PATENT OFFICE..

`UNITED STATES' 'moins A. Immun, or

Application med July 2,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, TnoMAsA. KJLLMAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can openers and` more particularly to a can opener of that type shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. y1,223, filed January 8, 1925, for can openers. s

In the (ro-pending application just identiiied, I have illustrated a can opener having a cutter adapted to engage in the top of a can and a feeding roller adapted to engage under the rim of the can and at the side of the can to cause the can to rotate in engagement with the cutting roller so that the top of the can is severed. IThis type of can opener is advantageous in that in handling circular cans, it is unnecessary to support the can with the hand during the cutting operation. The feeding roller engaging beneath the rim of the can provides sufficient support and disengagement of this support y is prevented by the cut ng roller as long as it is in its operative position-With relation to the top of the can whether the top of the can be entirely severed or'not. It is, however, disadvantageous' in that with this type of cutter, if it is to be applied to a fixed support and is not of the dirigible type, it is impossible toemploy the device with square cans for the cutter engaging in the top of the can will come into engagement avith the walls of the can at the corners thereof preventingthe completion of the cutting operation. If it be of the dirigible type; however, the feedf ing roller can be arranged against the can top so that it comes into contact with the inner face of the rim of the can and the cutter engages the bottom of the can beneath the rim thereof tosever the same. Of course, to operate such a can opener in this manner, it would be very diiiicult for the reason that the can would ordinarily have to be arranged upon some supporting surface or else it `would drop when severed or must be supported by the hand during' the cutting operation. Since with the dirigible type of can openel having a rotatable handle, both hands are necessary to the operation of the tool, the services of a second lperson would be required in the latter instance. Accordingly NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 1925. Serial N0. 41,117.

an lmportant objectof this invention is to provide a mounting for a can openerI of this type whereby the cutting mechanism may be either vertically arranged for operating upon roundcans or horizontallv arranged for operatingupon the square cans so that the mechanism being supported, one hand of the operator is left free to support cans when the cutter is used in the last position.

- Specifically, the invention relates to a novel and improved supporting bracket for the can opener whereby it may be supported in either of the positions above referred to.

A further and important object of the invention is the combination with astructure of the type described above of means for maintaining the engagedtcan in proper feeding 'relation to the. feeding roller so that the difference between the thickness and height of the can may bel compensated for.

lThese and other objects I attain b'y the construct-ion shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a can opener and mounting brackettherefor constructed in accordance with my invention in the position in which it is employed for removing the tops of round cans; n

Figure 2 is a plan view-.thereof Figure 3 is a sectional vie-w through the supportvlcohing toward the bracket withthe lsupport shown in full lines inthe positionl illustrated in Figures l and 2 and in dotted lines in the Lposition in which it is employed for removing the tops of square cans;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the can opener in the last named position Figure 5 lis a View of the can opener in positlon toreceive a can;

Figure 6 is a vievs7 of a portion of the top of a square can showing the feeding roller in position therein; and

Figure 7 is a detailed view showing the engagement of the feeding roller with the can rim when removing the tops of round cans.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which I have illustrated a can 105 o ener constructed in accordance with the' disclosure of my prior application, Serial No. 1,223, filedJanuaI-y 8, 1925, for can openers,o the numeral 10 designates a support in which is journaled, as at 11, a cutter roller 12. The support has likewise journaled therein a disk-13,A the journal of which is eccentrically disposed, as indicated at 14. This disk is embraced by a yoke engaging the shaft 16 which extends through a slot aligned With the pivot 11 of the cutter roller. 12 and which has secured to one end thereof a feeding'roller 17 andy at-` the opposite end .thereof a 'handle 18 whereby it may be rotated.

It will be obvious that by rotating the eccentric 13 through its handle 19, the feeding roller may be caused to approach andl roller brought into engagement with the under surface of the rim 20 of the can. The structure above ldescribed is identical with that set forth in my prior application with theexception of the fact that the support 10 of the present application is'horizontally directed whereas in said prior application, it is substantially vertically directed. This support 10 consists of a fiat sheet of metal and the axes of the cutting and feeding rollers are arranged transversely of this strip 'Whereasin the prior structure, they were arranged longitudinally of the strip. The present illustration further includes a holddown spring S for the purpose of engaging the can to force the same into engagement with the feeding roller 17.

.The vmechanism above described is arranged -at one end of the strip forming' the support 10 and at the op osite end thereof, this strip has attached t ereto a head 30. In the present illustration, the strip "10 is slit intermediate its edgesand the portions thus formed are alternately oppositely bent tc form feet 31 which are riveted to the head 30, as at 32. The head 30 is in the form of a trapezoid plate, heiaainafter to be more fully described.

A Wall bracket 33 is provided comprising A a plate, the side edges 34 of which converge 35 reverted in spaced relation tothe body of the plate to form guides for receiving the edges of the plate forming the head 30; Opposite side edges of theplate 30 have the same angular itch or convergence as the convergence o the sides 3 4 of the Wall bracket 33 and accordingly, this plate may be engaged in the Wall bracket with the plate forming the support 10 either horizontally or vertically disposed, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 respectively. IVhen the plate is horizont-ally disposed, the cutting roller and feeding roller are arranged beneath the plate so that the'eutting roller may be engaged with the can beneath the upper flange thereof to sever the -head of the can .and the feeding roller will engage against Way, it is necessary that some compensation be made for the difference in distance between the cutter engagedface of the can and the feeding Wheel engaged face thereof for many round top cans have relatively dce) rims 20 with the stem Well below the sur ace of the top ofthe can which is tobe removed While in a square can, obviously the thickness ofthe rim is all that has' to be considered and is usually less than the depth between the two faces above mentioned. This difference ,in size Will result in the feeding roller properly engaging the can rim to feed the same to the cutting roller with one type and in the other in such a loose engagement that no feeding would result where the springS above mentioned is not employed. This spring S serves the combined functions of a guide to prevent oscillation of a can and to force the rim ofthe can into operative engagement with the feeding roller. ,l

To provide a mounting lfor the hold-down spring, the support 10 is preferably provided With longitudinally spaced studs 37 and 38. The hold-down spring has a relatively straight portion 39 engaging oppo.

site faces of thettuds 37, 38 and an angular portion 40 extending above the upper face of the support. `This angular portion has attached thereto a substantially U-sha ed portion 41, the' bight 42. of which is' pre erably arcuatelyfcurved, as disclosed, and one arm 43'of .which provides a continuation of the vertically disposed portion 40 of the hold-down spriho'. l I has an inbent' end portion 45, the extremity of which engages against the opposite face of the r support 10 from the cutting roller 12. so thatdisplacement of the free end of the U is prevented.

" Tliis U-shaped portion of spring, when in normal position or in that position which it occupies when there. is no can positioned in the cutter, inclines down- Theioppo'ste arm 44 the hold-'down r Wardly from' its point of attachment to the 4 greatest possible extent.4 This resistance'is however, very slight. As tli'e handle 19 is manipulated to cause theA feeding roller to elevate and the cutter to pass through the top or side of the can, the resistance increases `so that when the feeding roller ar rives at ,its-feeding or operative osition, the tension iof the spring is consi erable and quite sufficient to provide the necessary tension preventing separation of the feeding roller and rim of \tli'e can. This bracket further permits the rady complete removal of the cutting mechanism so that -the same may be placed in a drawer orother out of the way spot and the obstruction caused thereby removed. e

It will be obvious that this hold-down spring pressing down-upon the top of a round can will tend to force the side wall of the can againstthe face of the feeding roller and thus hold the can against oscillation, in addition to its function of forcing the edge of the rim of thecan against the serrated face of the feeding roller. When used with a. square can, the spring, by its engagement with the sidewall of the can,

causes the head of the can to engage against the under surface of the flat support 10 and thus serves to hold the can against, oscillation as well as force the rim of the can into engagement with the feeding roller. This hold-down spring is shown and claimed in my copending application for can openers,

,SerialNo 41,116, filed of even date herewith and I accordingly do not herein claim this hold-down sprin except in combination with the structure o the bracket 33 and its associated part, permitting the use of the can opener for either square or round cans. It will be obvious that the structure' provided for supporting the support 10 in its twol positions may be considerably modified and that obviously, the method of. supporting the cutter may1 be applied to other types of cutters than t at at present illustrated. I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

1. The combination with a canopener including a support, feeding and cutting rollers carried by the support adapted to engage a can at opposite sides ofthe rim thereof, the axes of said rollers being disposedin a plane at right angles to the longitudinal Vaxis ofthe support, means -for moving one of said rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers and means for rotating the feeding roller, of an attaching bracket for said support to which the su port may be selectively secured in either o. two ositions rotatably spaced ninety degrees a out `the axis of the support to thereby arrange the rollers in vertical or horizontal planes. 2. The combination with a can opener including a support,.feeding and cutting rollers carried by the support adapted to engage a can at opposite sides'of` the rim thereof, the axes of said rollers being disposed in a plane at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the support, means for moving one of said rollers toward and away from the 'other of the rollers and means for rotating the feeding roller, of an attaching bracket downwardly converging channels, and a.

trapezoidal head carried'by said support for engagement in said channel, opposed side` edges of the head having the same convergence as the channels of said wall bracket.

3. In a can opener, a wall bracket, a support associated with the wall bracket` and securable thereto in positions rotatably spaced ninety .degrees apart, feeding and cutting rollers carried by thesupport and having their axes arranged in a plane at right angles to the support, means for adjusting one ofsaid rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers and means for rotating the feeding roller.

4. The combination with a can opener including a su port, Vfeeding and cutting rollers carried) by the support adapted to engage al can at opposite sides of the rim thereof, the 'axes of said rollers being disposed in a plane at right angles to the longitudinalaxis of the support, means for moving one of said rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers, meansfo:- rotating the feeding roller, of an attaching ybracket for said support to which the support may be selectivel7 secured in either of two positions rotatab y spaced ninety degrecs about the axisxof the support to therey arrange the rollers-in vertical or horizontallplanes and a yieldable guide associated with said rollers engaging a can positioned betweenrthe rollers in either position i 6. In combination with a can opener including feeding and cutting rollers, means for moving one of said rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers, means for;E

rotating the feeding roller, a wall bracket,

a support for said rollers, means for selectively securing the support to the bracket with said rollers horizontally or vertically disposed and meansoperative in either of 5 including a support, feeding and cutting rollers carried by the support adapted to engage a can at opposite sides lof the rim thereof, the axesof said rollers being disposedin a plane at right angles to the longi- 10 tudinal axes of the support, means for moving one of said ,rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers and means for rotating the feeding roller, of a wall bracket, the head of said support engageable 15 with the bracket in either of two positions,

said rollers in one of said phositions being horizontally disposed and in the other of said positions being vertically disposeda f 8. ,The combinationwith a can opener` 20 including a support,l feeding and cutting rollerscarried by the support adapted to engage a can at Vopposite sides of the rim posed in a' plane at right anglesto the longitu'dinal axis of the support, means for mov-l ing one of said rollers toward and away from the other of the rollers and means ,fof rotating the feeding roller, of an attachingbracket for said 'support to which the support may be selectively secured in either of two positions rotatably spaced ninety degrees about the axis of the support to thereby arrange the rollers in vertical or horizontal planes, said-bracket comprising a plate havln'g downwardly converging'side edges, said side. edges lhaving portions reverted in spaced relation to the plate to thereby provide guides, the support having a head comprising a trapezoidal plate opposite side edges of which converge 'with the same degree of convergence as the side edges of the wall bracket.

,In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. THOMAS A. KILLMAN. f 

